Child misses school bus at Palm Beach Currumbin State High School after leaving school early

A bus driver who left a Gold Coast school minutes early, leaving a child stranded, allegedly told her friend, ‘she isn’t here, bad luck’ before driving away.

“She isn’t here, bad luck.”

These are the words a bus driver allegedly told the friend of a 14-year-old Gold Coast girl who was just metres away from catching her school bus.

The daughter of Caira Holland had been given an early mark from her Palm Beach Currumbin High School last Tuesday when her friend texted her, saying the bus was early and she needed to come now.

The TransLink Surfside bus, route 760 north bound, is supposed to depart from the school at 3.09pm, but allegedly left four minutes early at 3.05pm.

Caira Holland's daughter missed the school bus by seconds because the driver left early. Picture Glenn Hampson

“She went running flat strap to the bus stop, if he had waited just five seconds more she would have been on the bus,” Ms Holland said.

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“It’s a major problem. How many other kids has he left behind?”

She claims the bus driver saw her daughter approaching, but told her friend who was pointing at her “she isn’t here, bad luck” and closed the doors.

Ms Holland said not only was it a safety issue, but the students often had connecting buses or trains they needed to catch.

According to her phone records, Ms Holland’s daughter called at 3.07pm, saying she had missed the bus. Ms Holland later picked up her daughter.

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Her daughter called two minutes before the bus was due to depart saying it had already left. Picture Glenn Hampson

“On their first day back at school the bus was 20 minutes late and was 45 minutes late by the time it got to Robina Town Centre,” Ms Holland said.

“Every day, the bus is running more than 10 to 15 minutes late or is five minutes early and does not wait for students to get out of school before departing earlier than scheduled.”

Ms Holland said she had lodged a complaint with TransLink and made the school aware of the problem.

She said her daughter, along with some other students had asked for the school to implement their own school bus.

However, a spokesman for the Department of Education said “the school does not have the ability to run any additional services.

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Ms Holland said it’s a matter of safety and being able to get kids onto their connecting transport options on time. Picture Glenn Hampson

“Bus services to Palm Beach Currumbin State High School are managed by the Surfside Bus Lines and TransLink.

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“To support students the school will be relaying the concerns raised with Surfside Bus Lines and TransLink.

“Parents with ongoing concerns regarding bus services to and from the school are encouraged to contact Surfside Bus Lines and TransLink.”

A spokesman for TransLink told the Bulletin they had been made aware of the incident and have “contacted operator Surfside to investigate the matter.

“Any incident reported involving school student travel is treated seriously and investigated thoroughly, including immediate escalation with the relevant service provider.”